


Parentage

by Yuni30



Series: Nymph Hugs [22]
Category: Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (Video Game)
Genre: Big Brothers, Big brother Swaine, Brotherly Love, Canonical Character Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Gen, Guardian - Freeform, Hurt/Comfort, Loss, Loss of Control, Near Death Experiences, Parenthood, Powerlessness, Protectiveness, Proud parent, Relaxing, Teaching, Team Bonding, Team Dynamics, Team as Family, Temporary Character Death, Tutoring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-25
Updated: 2018-10-25
Packaged: 2019-08-07 10:58:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16407170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yuni30/pseuds/Yuni30
Summary: They had come so far. They had done so much... They were like a family bound by their experiences and the few peaceful times they had together.(Part of the Nymph Hugs series on Fanfiction.net.)





	Parentage

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Defeating the Dark Djinn](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/426554) by Mooshkamoogle. 



> Disclaimer: I do not own Ni no Kuni. I do not own the ideas for the section regarding what happens directly after defeating Shadar.
> 
> Spoilers ahead.

He sat on top of a hill, late at night, overlooking the western shores of Autumnia. He had woken up from a sound sleep, the howling of the wind jarring him awake.

As much as Esther joked about him sleeping deeply and noisily, she was wrong. He  _couldn't_  sleep for too long. He never could- not since became a thief. He always had to be on his guard. He always had to be ready to fight.

There were times, he found, with them that he managed to get a full night's rest.  _Those_  were the times she joked about. He felt secure- the fact that he was part of a group meant safety in numbers. He could count on them to have his back.

Then, even with this security, the more challenges they faced… the closer they got to facing Shadar… the more easily jarred awake by the smallest sound he was. He sometimes combatted this by walking around away from the group, careful not to wake them.

He wouldn't dare compromise their strength. It wasn't worth it. He could handle himself half awake. He had been for years. He sighed as he continued to listen to the waves washing onto the shore.

His sleep wasn't worth their safety. Maybe once upon a time, in another life as a cocky arrogant prince, he would have thought nothing of it, disturbed everyone for his sake, and then gladly went back to bed. He smirked at how much he had changed. He had walked up the hill for that purpose.

He lifted his head from the view at the sound of grass crunching beneath shoes. He turned his head to find the young mage who the familiar tamer and he had accompanied. "Hey… Oliver…," he quietly inquired. "What are you doing up? It's late."

The red-headed boy paused. "I… Umm…"

He glanced down at the boy's bag and left arm. Under the arm was his personal tome of spells. In his right hand, the still incomplete Mornstar. "I see. Going for some late-night practice, are you?"

He grinned. "Haha, yeah." He walked up to beside the trench coat-clad man. "Shouldn't  _you_  be in bed, Swaine? We've got a long day tomorrow."

He smiled at the boy. "Draw." He stretched and put his hands behind his head.

"How could you tell I was going to practice…?"

"I've seen the signs before," he said with one eye open to his young friend. "So what spells are on the agenda?"

"Oh you know," he began tilting his head away from the thief and towards the sky. "Spells I haven't really been using too much. Fireball and Frostbite for the most part."

He leaned forward suddenly and looked up at him. "Those two spells?! You've used them plenty!"

"But I'm afraid I'll forget them."

The man on the ground shook his head. "Trust me. You won't."

"Are you sure?"

"Once you've practiced them twenty or so times, it stays in there," he answered as he got to his feet. He held out his hand. "Here. Allow me to prove it to you."

The boy backed away suddenly. "Wait- what? You know how to use magic?"

"I know how to cast spells. Or at least the steps leading up to it," he replied, rolling his eyes.

"But I thought-"

"You thought what?"

"Well… I know this has to do with your past and all but… Umm…"

The man stared at the mage patiently, a slightly annoyed frown on his face. Eventually, he feigned a smirk as he realized what he was getting at. "You do realize I was still  _trained_  to replace my father, right? I've read the Wizard's Companion."

"Oh… Uh…" The boy nervously shifted, tapping the toe of a shoe. "I didn't mean to say-"

"Oliver," he snapped. "It's alright." He sighed and looked back at the ocean. "I don't know what kind of deal you lot made, but this is about your magic- not my past."

"…You hate talking about it, though."

"If it's not pertinent." He looked back at the boy. "What's the point if the situation at hand is far more important?!" He shrugged. "It's just history-  _my_ history- but history." He held his hand out again. "With that said, may I borrow your wand?"

Oliver lifted the wand and looked at it. He seemed to study it for a moment before nodding at the thief and handing it over.

The man turned back to face the bay. He lifted the wand and began to draw the rune for Chart Chests in the sky, the rune glowing a bright teal like green based on his magical aura.

"Wait… You can draw the spell? Geepers…"

"I have a tiny reserve of magic, yes," he commented, grinning slyly. "It's just so weak, that the spell doesn't work." He leaned back as he observed his handiwork.

Dropping the subject, though still surprised, the boy studied the rune. "It doesn't look right…"

"No, that's the spell. That's Chart Chests," he defended. "I recall practicing this one quite a lot as a kid- I really wanted to find treasure." He seemed to smile at the memory of his younger self-practicing for moments on end just for a chance at an easy find.

"No… I don't think so." The boy stopped for a moment and opened the spell book. He turned to the page the spell Chart Chests was on. Sure enough, it matched the rune his friend had drawn. "Oh."

"Hah! Told you!"

"That one's easy! What about… Umm… Vacate!"

He drew it again- from memory.

The boy looked up the spell. It was matched perfectly to the one in the book. "Gee… Wow."

"Father drilled these into mine and Marcassin's heads pretty hard. Just about every spell in the book, save for a few higher leveled ones…" He scratched the back of his head. "I think there are a few he didn't teach us because of how intense they were."

"Huh… So, any spell?"

" _Any_  spell," the former royal responded.

"Hmmm… So… something like Magic Lantern?

Almost without thought, the man went into action, drawing the rune flawlessly. "It's a shame I don't have the capacity to actually cast any of these," he said with a sigh as he stared at the glowing green symbol.

"Why not? I bet with a lot of practice you could be pretty good!"

A shake of the head. "Nah. It took me  _years_  to be able to do just  _this_. Actually casting a spell…?" He raised an eyebrow. "The last time I tried I wore myself out. And that was with  _one_ spell- one time casting it!" He tilted his focus towards his sole audience member as he scratched the back of his head. "I think I even passed out. Marcassin found me, luckily… I think I would have lied there in the training grounds for hours." He groaned as he rolled his eyes towards the still glowing rune. "I gave up on the idea not long after."

"I believe you can," the kid cheered. "If you just try-"

"No. I just don't have it in me. Magic…" He wiped the rune away and sat down on the grass. "Is just one of those talents you either have or you don't."

Oliver joined him and took up the wand Swaine had set down. "I get it…" He looked down at Mornstar as he traced the shape of it. "Sorry."

"Eh?! Sorry? What for?"

"I brought up your issues with magic- with your... other identity."

"I can't fault you for curiosity…," he sighed as he lied down on the grass, his hands under his head. He stared up at the sky. "My lack of magic is no less a fact than- well," he started to reason, looking around nervously. "That we exist. It's a constant," he concluded with a shrug.

"It must be hard for you…"

He winced, and he grunted as he squeezed his eyes shut. "Don't pity me, Oliver. I'm an everyday bloke." He shrugged again. "What's there to pity?"

A lot, really… He had lost so much, fallen so far. Even he knew that. Was he being nonchalant for  _his_  sake or…? Then again, Swaine was Swaine- the man always seemed to move forward despite how close to his chest he kept his personal dilemmas.

He lied down on the ground himself, laying diagonally opposed to his friend. When he looked above himself, he could see the thief's tangled mess of hair. "For what it's worth, you're a pretty cool 'everyday bloke'," he complimented the reclined thief.

Stunned silence followed. "…Thanks, Oliver." He shifted to remove his right hand. He held it towards the sky, arm outstretched. "You know… I used to come out here- okay...," he hesitated when he sensed his friend's confusion. "Not here but the hills just outside of Hamelin by myself, sometimes in the dead of night. I would trace the stars and make pictures of them."

"Like constellations? We have some pretty neat ones in my world."

"I'm sure you do," he replied with a smirk. "Even we have a good few." He shook his head as he chuckled to himself. "Those are great and all, but I made new ones. I gave them stories- stories of people or things who never existed."

The boy shrugged. "That sounds like legends to me."

"Hardly. They were just silly little tales. Nothing too grand." He shook his head again. "The original tales are far better, looking back on them."

Oliver gave a short laugh- huff of air and sound. He stared up as he shared the sky with the older man. "Hey, I think I see Leo!"

"'Leo'? That's one from your world, right?" He smirked mirthfully. "The lion constellation. That's one we share." He reached back and rubbed the top of his hair. "I'm actually born under that one."

"Huh? You guys have astrological signs in this world, too?"

"Oh yeah!" He laughed. "Might be a little different than yours, but sure. It's one of the ways we keep track of the year, even."

"That's cool!" He continued to study the sky. "That one looks kind of like hog armor," he realized, pointing up at another part of the sky.

"Huh?" He followed his hand. "How so?"

The boy began to trace the image out with his hand and the thief followed along. "See, these are the ears. Here's the nose."

"Ah. Yes, I see it. " His eyes shifted to another part of the sky. "Oh! A dragon!"

"What?! Really?!" He frantically looked from star to star, looking for the same group the thief saw. "I really want to see."

"Hah! Calm down," Swaine eased as he raised his hand to guide him. "There. See the wings and the head? There's the tail and the legs."

The boy craned his head as he stared at the group of lights. "It… kind of looks like a strange dog…" And it did… to him, anyway. The creature had four legs and a long tail. The area where he supposed the thief called the wings may have well been a hump on the dog's back.

"You're not looking at it from my point of view." He saw a giant ferocious beast in his mind's eye. It kind of reminded him of the red dragon they fought in Skull Cavern.

He blinked again as he tilted his head once more. He could kind of see what he meant a little better. "Gee… I guess you're right. There are so many ways to look at the sky."

"Yup. Like life."

"…"

At the stunned silence, he tilted his head to the side. What was going through this kid's mind? "What?"

"Oh… nothing. It's just... That was really profound."

"Nah. Anyone would pick up that kind of thought. You've just got to look hard enough. That's all."

"True, but not everyone looks at it like you do."

"No one looks at things the same," he grunted as he shifted. "You may see hog armor, someone else sees a cat."

Oliver went quiet in thought. "What do you think people think when they see us?"

"Well one of them is definitely, 'Oh! Travelers!'" He grinned widely. His smile fell when he thought of the perturbed faces when they stole a glance at him. He always felt a little leery of what they were thinking. "Sadly I believe also have their suspicions- doubts, even."

"What do you mean?"

"Well…" He rubbed the back of his head. "I guess you've already proved one of them wrong. You definitely proved me wrong." He chuckled.

"Yeah. I guess you're right." The wizard rolled over on his stomach to look over at his friend. "What's the other?"

Silence… He seemed to consider his next thoughts. What  _did_  Oliver think of him…? "Nevermind. It… Really doesn't matter." He tilted his head up to look into the boy savior's eyes. "They're just phantoms of my own suspicions. Nothing more."

Oliver grunted in acknowledgment. Whatever it was, whatever the thief had previously thought- he seemed to be over it. Or at least he hoped he had. While the man kept his wounds hidden, he had definitely come a long way since that day in Castaway Cove. He rolled over to look at the sky. "I really hope people remember us. Or what we're doing."

"Oh, they will." He looked over at a few other stars. "The boy who saved the world…  _You'll_  be talked about for a long time, kiddo."

"So will you," he reminded him, cheerily.

"Nah… Me and Esther- we'll both be forgotten." He nodded. "I'm fine with that. I don't think I could really deal with all the praise."

That was… weird. He loved showing off if there was something to boast. "What?! Really?! You don't want to get  _any_ recognition?"

"No. Not really. I've already done my share- all I need is the peace that comes with it." Perhaps he'd settle down somewhere quiet. He supposed he had enough excitement for a lifetime to come.

"Umm… Sure. If that's what you want."

The thief shrugged again. "What can I say. I'm a simple man." Perhaps even a cottage somewhere in the middle of the woods would do, he presumed.

"What are you two doing," a familiar tamer's voice called out to the pair.

Swaine flinched in his spot, his eyes widening.

"Oh! Esther! We're just looking at the stars," the boy cheered. "Wanna join?"

She scowled momentarily, specifically at the thief. She finally sat and lied down with them. "You left the camp unattended…," she directed her complaint more towards the thief.

"I know," he simply responded, his face calm and at ease as the cool night air breezed over them. "The creatures out here aren't as rowdy with how strong we are- they can sense it." He shifted again. "Just…" He stretched his arms above him. "Relax."

She hummed in thought, not bothering to continue the argument. "I wonder what will happen now…" She looked up at the stars. "We have to find a way to live our lives when this is all over."

"Yeah…," Oliver chimed in. "It's going to be weird for me…"

"Huh? Why's that," the thief wondered.

"Well, it's just… I'd have to figure out how to hide my magic abilities and I can't say  _anything_  about this." He shrugged. "I mean I already hide it… but… I'd have to hide it more. I'd have to act like none of this ever happened- that you guys never existed."

"Ah… I see." He squinted up at the night sky. "You could stay here with us, you know."

"Where would I live…," the boy pondered.

The man shrugged- a silent "I don't know, you figure it out."

"You could live in Al Mamoon! We have a spare room at my house," Esther cheered. She waved her hands above her head. "It would be like having a little brother!"

"Eh… Maybe… It's really hot." Oliver tilted his head towards the girl.

"I agree. It  _does_  get a little too intense, even for me…," Swaine jabbed.

" _Everything's_  too intense for you, Swaine," she snapped back. "You're such a big baby."

"I am not," he retorted with a grin. "I am a big  _adult_ , thank you," he quipped.

The girl groaned at his joke. "Anyway, so if not Al Mamoon, where?"

"Ding Dong Dell…?"

"Ooh! Yeah! We could build a house near there," the rogue observed.

"With what," Esther asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, we'll think of  _something_! It doesn't have to be fancy!"

"Yeah. It could be a log cabin," the mage said with a chuckle. "Though Hamelin would be fun. It kind of reminds me of Motorville, but with more machines."

"Hamelin's kind of chilly, though," Esther noted.

"And Yule isn't," the thief countered.

"Okay, comparing Hamelin to Yule is like comparing Al Mamoon to Old Smokey."

"Wait… Aren't they in different continents- Hamelin and Yule," Oliver recalled quizzically. He shook his head. "I dunno what I'll do, guys. We'll see after the battle."

"Sounds like a reasonable plan," Swaine posed, nodding alongside the familiar tamer.

Just then, a shooting star passed overhead.

"Oh! A dragon's breath," Esther chimed.

"A what…," Oliver wondered.

"It's another name for a shooting star because they're as rare as a dragon's flame," she explained. "Some people make wishes on them."

"Then…," the boy nodded. He had the perfect wish in mind. He never wanted to let go of these nights, days, even moments with these two… and Drippy who had remained passed out down at the camp. He clasped his hands over his blue shirt covered chest.  _I wish that no matter what happens, we'll always be able to see each other and remember each other._

"So what did you wish," Swaine prodded.

"You're not supposed to say," Esther hissed.

Oliver giggled. "I just wished for friendship. That's all…"

"Ha! Wish granted," the thief jested.

The familiar tamer giggled as well, raising her hands in the air towards the sky. "Yeah," she cheered.

* * *

How could it have come to… to this…? They had fought so hard. They had come so far. Even after mostly recovering from the initial shock of what they had learned- that the boy they had grown so close to was connected to that- that wretch- nothing could have prepared them for this.

Before the harpist's and the gunslinger's very eyes, their friend they had agreed to defend and protect had… vanished. Nothing was left of him.

Esther fell to her knees. The thief stumbled towards the Wizard's Companion that glowed a soft blue light. Drippy, the fairy, waddled close to it, seemingly just as bewildered as the rest of them.

"Oliver…," the familiar tamer wondered as the realization began to completely settle in and morph into reality.

"Can… can he really be gone," were the words that came tumbling out of the man's mouth.

"I-is he…? He can't be," Esther asked him fretfully as she too stared down at the glowing book.

"No- No way! He can't be! He can't! He's just a kid…" He felt tears form at the corner of his eyes as he stared at the book. He heard whimpering behind him. "This… This isn't-," he began to stammer. The whimpering turned into bawling. "H-Huh…?" He turned his attention behind him.

"This isn't fair," a forlorn Esther wailed, finishing his statement. The man turned to find her kneeling on the ground hunched over, her eyes wide with fear and grief. "Oliver… He…," she whimpered again. "This isn't fair," she cried out again.

He breathed in sharply. "Damn," he exhaled. "You're just a kid, too…" He frowned down at the sobbing mess of a girl. He knelt down and pulled her into a hug. "Come here," he said as he held her close to his chest. He rested his head on hers as he rubbed her back slowly, comfortingly. "It's okay," he comforted… even though he knew it was far from that.

Her eyes widened even further at the sudden embrace. She didn't have time to question it. Instead, she accepted whatever comfort he provided. Anyone. Anything. She just needed someone to lean on at that moment. Her eyes softened and eventually closed as she wrapped her arms around the ragged man. She gripped the back of his jacket as she trembled.

"Neither of you," he began as he held back his own anguish, looking back at the doors they had entered just a few hours ago. "Should have had to see, or do, any of this," he stated regretfully.  _No kid should…_  he begrudgingly thought.

He wished he could have stepped in his place. He wished he had the power that kid had. If it meant saving him- if it meant that he'd live or at least have the chance to live… He'd do it.

He failed to protect them… He added it to the list. Once again, he was powerless. Some older brother he was… Some guardian… "It isn't fair," he heard her continue to whimper into his shirt. "It isn't- why? It isn't fair," she stammered, repeating the words to herself. Who said life was ever fair…? He glanced down at the fairy who now stood by the book, one tiny hand on its cover as he mourned the recently departed. "Ollie-boy," he heard him moan. "No…! No. No…"

He was… gone. This was the end of their journey. They had done it. They had defeated Shadar… They had lost their best friend- and there was no bringing him back.

For once, a spark of hope visited the trio. A spark that seemed familiar.

The man lifted his head, alerting his only other friend. He hummed curiously as the light began to grow above the Companion.

Esther blinked and, with a shaky breath, asked, "What's that…?" She released him, Swaine following suit. They both stood and watched the glimmer formed into a small glowing hole.

"Could- could it be…," the thief wondered with almost hopeful glee. He had his fists held up in front of him if that was any clue.

"I reckon so," the fairy nodded, almost certain of it. He lifted his nose towards the light in anticipation.

Then… From the light, a familiar red-headed wizard appeared and fell through, seemingly unconscious.

A wave of relief, of happiness, seemed to wash over the three and they all shouted his name in unison and bolted towards the previously dead teen. The thief seemed to be bouncing up and down on his feet as the familiar tamer looked the boy over. The fairy jumped high at first and continued to beam at him.

"I'm not dreaming this, am I," Swaine shouted, his grin incorrigible. He reached out and tapped the rising kid on the shoulder. Even more, relief washed through him when he realized the permanence of his form. This was real.

He was back… He was… Alive. Even as Esther began to wonder about Shadar's possible return, they found comfort in this fact.

When all was said and done, this was the best ending to their journey. Even as the thief tripped over a raised tree root and caught himself, he looked at them with a proud, relieved grin.

They had come so far… They all wondered what was ahead of them now.

* * *

"There you have it," a man in a green jacket called out, watching his young pupil practice and successfully cast Mornstar once again. His voice rang out through the hills, carrying the excitement away with it.

On the crest of one of the hills, A black-haired man in regal attire and a young girl watched them as her compatriot adjusted his student's arm for better casting. "Sometimes I wonder about that man," the familiar tamer chimed in from next to him. He jarred his head to the side to acknowledge her.

"How do you mean," he asked her.

"I mean, aside from Oliver… and probably you, I wonder what he'd be like if he actually had the responsibility of being a parent." She pressed her arms on her hips as she watched him cheer the boy on once more. "I doubt he'd do that well."

"I believe he'd be more than responsible," the man said with a sigh, returning his attention to his brother.

"Swaine?! I don't know if he'd know what to do with a kid!"

"What do you mean…?" He turned again to face her. "I believe my brother has done an exceptional job already."

Confused by his statement, she stepped back. "Huh?" She shared the view the great sage had of the pair.

He continued to watch as the elder prince guised as a lowly thief leaned over the mage. He pointed at a nearby stone, telling Oliver where to aim his wand. The ruler supposed he was trying to help him focus his magic in a more efficient manner. "Take what he's doing with Oliver, for example." He gestured to the sight- Oliver was preparing to cast Mornstar again while Swaine backed away, though with eager intent on his face. "He's quite eager to help him strengthen his magic as he was with me."

"But… couldn't anyone do that, Marcassin? People have been giving us spells. And it's not like Oliver hasn't been practicing." Even as she argued this she couldn't help but smile down at the pair. It was just weeks ago that they all thought the kid dead. There he was… practicing spells with Swaine.

The mage shook his head. "No. Not in the way my brother has been taught." He watched as the man below them lectured his pupil about proper stance and form, even providing an example with himself… and a random stick that he found lying around. "Now copy my movements, alright," he ordered, nodding at the boy. The boy nodded back and they began to practice once more.

"We were taught from an early age the proper way to cast spells. We were reminded every day to keep our backs straight, our minds clear, and our stances wide- as if wielding a sword." He nodded as the thief stopped to correct Oliver's stance again. "And while he can never hope to cast a single spell, he has decided to make use of all of those lessons."

"But… What does that have to do with him being a good father…?"

Marcassin turned to the girl, smiling. "He's proud of both of you," he answered. "He talks about you two- how far you've come rather incessantly…" He looked down once more. "He said something once… He's constantly afraid."

Esther laughed. "I could have told you that-"

"But do you know the reason why," he pointedly asked.

She didn't respond.

He took a momentary glance back at her. "He's afraid he won't be strong enough. He's afraid  _you_  won't be strong enough. Above all, he's afraid of losing you two." He sighed as he remembered something. "He told me on the Iron Wyvern about what happened in Nevermore." He recalled the sullen face he had of the memory. He recalled the trembling of his older brother.

"He said he never wanted to go through with that again. He never wanted you two, either." He turned to face her. "I'd say, he's become quite the worthy parent." He glanced back at the laughing student and teacher. Apparently, Oliver had tried to cast Mornstar at an awkward stance.

"That's one way to cast a spell," Swaine commented, with a nervous chuckle. He outstretched his hand to help the kid up.

"He would never admit it, but… Of all things, Gascon is extremely compassionate about people close to him- especially family members." He smiled fondly at the man dressed in rags. "He's only ever been that way about me… and usually, he's trying to help me," he continued to reminisce. "I'm glad to see Gascon has continued to move forward in every way he can."

A bang sounded from below and the two on the hill looked down to find Oliver on the ground again.

"I think that's enough practice for the day…," the thief advised, crouching over the boy. He scratched the back of his head as he briefly looked away.

"I want to learn how to be a better wizard! I can't stop now," the boy protested as he began to lift himself off of the ground.

He swiftly returned his attention to him, raising an eyebrow. "You're already a force to be reckoned with! I'm just giving you pointers," Swaine reminded his "student" with an exaggerated shrug.

"But they're good ones! I  _have_ to master them," he adamantly shouted as he scrambled to his feet, picking up his wand.

"Okay, okay! I'm just looking out for your health. No need to get snippy," he bit back, his arms crossed. Despite his tone, he smirked at the boy's determination. Who was he kidding?! This kid could probably survive anything after all that they had been through.

A chuckle sounded beside Esther. "Hmmm," she hummed curiously. "What is it?"

"I recall that exact same conversation between he and I when I was seven," he recalled fondly. He placed a hand on his chin in thought. "He truly is my brother."

"You weren't sure before…?"

"Even with all the evidence, I had the tiniest of doubts." He laughed at himself. "My belief in his identity remains steadfast, despite them."

"Oliver! We're back from picking flowers," a call from the other side sounded. Pea had returned to them with Drippy in tow.

"Found some real beauties, didn't we," the fairy more exclaimed than asked as he followed the green haired girl down the hill.

Pea lifted the assortment of flowers to Oliver. "Take some! They're for you, Oliver," she pleaded with a cheery small smile.

"I'll take some later, Pea. I have more magic training to do!"

Her smile fell as she tilted her head curiously up at him. "But Oliver, you're already so good at magic."

Swaine laughed and threw a hand out towards Oliver. "That's what I keep telling him!" He looked over at the subject at hand. "Honestly. Take a break."

The boy looked up at his tutor. "After a few more spells…?"

Swaine groaned impatiently and turned his gaze towards the sky. He heaved a reluctant sigh before glancing back down at the boy. " _Fine_ ," he drawled. "Then will you take a break?"

Oliver giggled and gave a small smile. "Sure!"

"I want to watch you," Pea requested excitedly.

"Well, it's not safe down by here, is it," the fairy observed. "We ought to move out of the way."

"A fair point indeed," the rogue agreed as he began to look around. He smirked when he spied his younger brother and the familiar tamer on the nearby hill. "We've already got an audience."

"We do," Oliver wondered. He followed the man's gaze and saw what he meant. He waved up at them. He cupped his hands around his mouth and called out. "Marcassin! Esther! Enjoying the show?!"

The girl giggled. "Sure! You're doing great," she called back.

The younger prince joined in as well, "Don't wear yourself too thin, Oliver!"

As Pea ran up the hill with Drippy staying behind to help- much to Swaine's unseen annoyance- the mage nodded. "I'll try," he returned to them. He took the stance his teacher had showed him and resumed his practice.

He had earned another chance at life once more… He had earned a chance to save their world- a world he now treasured so much for all the memories he made there. He wasn't about to waste it. Even if it was just by a little, he'd increase his potential- moving forward bit by bit.

**Author's Note:**

> Greetings! Another chapter/drabble here for you all. This one's inspired by the last episode of "Alice isn't Dead" and a small fan comic on Tumblr by MooshkaMoogle\- the middle section specifically.
> 
> Speaking of which… I know the cutscene in the game didn't exactly play out like that. I tried to merge the fan comic and the two together as best as I could. I think including it gave that scene a little more character depth. (Also, I absolutely love how giddy Swaine is when Oliver comes back. He looks like he's kind of bouncing in place. I feel like his internal thought process here is "Yay! You're not dead!")
> 
> In case those of you are unaware, (and probably haven't read my other lengthy fic, _Heroes and Thieves_ ) I really like the idea of Swaine tutoring Oliver, or even just teaching magic in general despite his lack of magic ability. I really feel like that was a missed opportunity in the game. I often think of his past and this one fanart I saw of the group sitting together. In it, Oliver has the Wizard's Companion open and there are the various spells he's learned so far floating around everyone. It's a good pic. The artist goes by okaybeex on Deviantart. Check them out!
> 
> At any rate. I hope you all enjoyed this mess. Sorry, it rambled on.


End file.
